Ironing-machine



(No Modal.)

C. ANGUS.

IRQNING MACHINE.

No. 321,671. Patented July 7, 1885.

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w/Tgqs 555.

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NITED STATES Artnr tries.

CHARLES ANGUS, OF ALBANY, ASSIGNOR TO THE TROY LAUNDRY MACHINERY COMPANY, (LMITEDQ OF TROY, NEW* YORK.

lRON|NG-MACHlNE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 321,67x dated .uly 7, 1885.

implication filed July 5, 1883. (No modi-.lj

To all whom it may concern,.-

Be it known that I, CHARLES Anous, aeitizen of the United States, residing in the city of Albany, in the county of Albany and State of New York, have invented new and useful Improvements in Ironing-llaehines, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

My invention has reference to that class of ironing-machines which employ what may be termed a composite ironing-bed, which bed may be dened as consisting of a suitable metal, wooden, or other i'oundatio1i,which usually constitutes a part of a machine, upon which base or foundation is arranged one or more thicknesses or layers of any suitable felted or woven fabric or other material to constitute a pliable or more or less yielding cushion-like body, which portion is hereinafter designated .as the cushion of the bed, and a surface-covering, of muslin or other suitable fabric or material, which will absorb moisture given off from damp articles of cloth in being ironed on the bed.

As the base or foundation is always present in ironing-machines and apparatuses, the coinposite bed may be considered as consisting of any suitable yielding cushion-like body portion with a moisture-absorbing cover.

Heretofore it has been customary to provide coverings for the cushions of composite ironing-beds which are substantially of the same length and width as that of the body portion of the beds, and to secure these elements of the bed and the base or frame-work directly along either its ends or sides and below its upper surface. There has also been provided heretofore a split roller having a ratchet and holding-pawl, and arranged at one end of the bed for the purpose of receiving` one end of the covering of such bed, and by means of a rotation of the split roller to strain the covering and to hold it in a strained position uponthe cushion or cushion-like body portion of the bed, the opposite end oi' the cover being secured at the opposite end of the bed. An endless composite bed has also been used, so that new surfaces were successively exposed to Wear, the covering and cushion being con nected to each other and moving together.

In most ironing-machines in which compos ite beds have heretofore been used, either the bed has been reciprocated (while the article to be ironed was placed upon the covering) against and along a fixed ironing device capable of being heated, or the bed has been stationary and the ironing device reciprocated along, against, and in contact with ythe bed and the articles thereon, so that by experience in both classes of machines involving a composite bed and an ironing device, it has been found that the covering oi' the bed soon becomes scorched and Worn, and has to be frequently replaced by a new covering.

The principal object of my invention is to provide a composite ironing-bed which is provided With a covering of greater' length 'than the bed, and capable of movement along the cushion or cushion-like body portion thereof, in order to present new surfaces of the covering to the ironing devil e, and the accomplishment of this object in elves the provision of suitable devices for 1".,-laining the covering in snug contact with the cushion-like body portion of the bed wil/n once adjusted.

Other objects and advantages appear in the following descrip'l ion:

My invention 'i nercl'ore consists, broadly, of a composite ironing-bed in which the covering is capable oi' being moved upon the cushion or cushion-like body portion of the same independently thereof, to present different surfaces to wear, and in said covering combined with suitable devices i'o'r maintaining it in position when once adjusted.

My invention also consists in certain features of construction hereinafter described, and specically pointed out in the claims.

Referring to the drawings, Figure l is a perspective View of a portion of an ironingmachine which embodies one form of my improveniente. Fie. 2 represents on a larger scale a 'central verticallongitudinal section of a portion of the same machine, and Fig. 3 is an end elevation 0i` apart of the saine. Figs. 4 and illustrate on dillerent scales central ol' roll E,

vertical longitudinal sections of portions of two different ironing-machines that embrace modified forms of some of my improvements, and Fig. 6 is an elevation and apartial section shown in cross-section in Fig. 5.

Like letters indicate like parts in all the figures.

A is a frame, which supports the other parts. B is a somewhat elastic or yielding and moisture-absorbing cushion or bed, similar to those used in ironing-machines ol' the class to which my invention relates. Gis a sheet-likccovering consisting ol' a layer or two or more layers ol' .n1 uslin or other suitable moisture-absorbin g fabric ol" greater length than the bed l, and adapted to be secured thereon as hereinafter set i'orth. I) is a smoothing iron or roller adapted to be heated internally, and to be moved to and fro along and upon the eoveri ng ot' the bed.

In using ironing-machines of the aforesaid -class the upper surface of the bedcovering soon becomes so scorched and injured by the to-'and-fro action of the smoothing-iron that the bed-covering must be often changed in positions or renewed upon the bed. To quickly accomplish this change or renewal, I make the covering C separate from and of greater length than thc bed B, and capable of independent movement thereon, and provide means for quickly and securely grasping or engaging with a part or parts ofthe covering beyond or not over the bed, and for drawing it tight and firmly holding a portion. of said covering in a tight condition upon and along the bed, so that the covering shall not be moved by the'to-and-fro movements thereon of the smoothing iron or roller, and so that the covering on the bed can be quickly released whenever the same shall need to be changed or renewed.

In one embodiment of this feature of my inventi on, (represented in Fig. 4,) the covering (l is in the form ot' an endless sheet or belt extending over and under the bed B and through a longitudinal slot, a, in a bar that is shown under the bed, but may be at one end thereol', and is journaled at its ends in the frame A, and is furnished with a ratchet- Lo wheel, b, and holding-paw] c, and with a crankarm or other means whereby the bar or roller can be readily rocked or-rotated by hand. These parts are all so constructed and arranged that while the endless covering C in Fig. 4 is loose, it can bc easily drawn through the slot c in the bar or roller E, andA thus any desired part of the covering can be quickly adjusted over the bed, and that by turning the bar or roller Ill in the right direction the slack portion of the endless covering will be wound on the bar or roller, and the covering thereby drawn tight upon the bed, and will be retained in such wound and tightened condition by the engagement of the pawl c with the ratchet I); and by disengaging the pawl from the ratchet the covering will be released,

or roller, E, f'

so as to permit 'the adjustment of any desired other portion of the covering upon the bed.

In embodying the aforesaid feature of my invention I commonly prefer to have means for engaging with and tightening and hold-.

ing the bed-covering C at the two'ends of the bed B, whether the bed-covering shall or shall not be in endless form; and Figs. 1, 2, and 5 represent beds of ironing-machines furnished with such means.

In Fig. 5 the bed .B is furnished at one end with a clamp, F, on the frame A, and at the olher end with a clamp or roller, E, that is pivoted or journaled at its ends to the frame A, as indicated i n Fig. 6, and has a ratchet, b, provided with a retaining-pawl, c. Each of the two clamps E F has two bars, e f, connected at one end by a hinge or pivot joint, g, and at the other end by a clamping-screw, h, substantially as indicated in Fig. G. Upon loosening the screws h h the bed-covering G can be placed in and drawn through the two clamps, and thus any desired portion of the covering can be quickly adjusted upon the bed. ly tightening the screws h h the clamps will be firmly engaged with the bed-covering G, and by then turning the part E in the proper direction and engaging the pawl c with the ratchet b the portion of the bed-covering over the bed and between the parts E F will be drawn tight and securely retained` in tight condition upon the bed.

In Fig. 5 the clamp F can be journaled in the frame A and furnished with a ratchet and pawl like the clamp E', andthe bed-covering can have its ends united, so as to be in the form of an endless belt, as indicated by dotted lines atz, if desire( I commonly prefer, however, to make the bed-covering() with two separate ends, and to provide means for winding up and holding in the form of rolls whatever end portions of the covering shall be at any time not adjusted on the bed, essentially as indicated in Figs. l, 2, and 5. For this purpose I have provided in Fig. 5 two rods or rollers, G G, journaled at their ends in the frame A, and havi ng ratchet-wheels i furnished with pauls j, so that the two end parts of the bed-covering C can be easily wound up and held in the form of rolls in and by the rods or rollers G, and beinstantly unwound upon disengaging the pawls from the ratehets. It is not absolutely necessary that said end portions should be wound up. e

To provide very simple means for winding up and holding, in the form of rolls, various quantities of the two end parts of the sheetlike covering C for the bed B, and for adjusting, tightening, and retaining in tight condition on the bed different intermediate portions of said covering, I arrange at the two ends of the bed bars or rollers E E, Figs.,1, 2, 3, that are journaled to rotate to and fro in and on the frame A, and are adapted to be engaged with the end parts of the bed-covering, and to 'ind up the same and have` ratchet- IIO wheels Z; Z1, furnished with holding-pawls c c, that can be readily engaged with and disengaged from the ratchet-wheels, substantially as indicated in said figures. Y

For engagement with the bedcovering, the bars or rollers E may be made with rough, toothed, or india rubber surfaces, or with clamping-bars, as shown in Fig. 6, or with grooves or slots a, Fig. 3, into or through which the end parts of the covering C may eX- tend; and for easily turning the bars or rollers E E by hand, I commonly furnish them with cranks, or make them with projecting ends d, Fig. l, of angular or other suitable shape,and apply thereto a wrench or lever.

The ratchets b and pawls c are to be so applied to the winding bars or rollers E E that the intervening portion of the covering C may extend either from the upper or the lower side of each bar or roller, or from the upper side of one and the under side of the other, as shown in Figs. l and 2.

XVh en the two end parts of the bed-covering are wound up, and the intervening portion is drawn tight upon the bed, as indicated in Fig.

l, a different portion of the covering can be quickly adjusted or brought into use, drawn tight, and retained in tight condition on the bed by merely disengaging one pawl from the ratchet on. one of the bars or rollers E, turning the other bar or roller so as to thereby wind up the portion of the covering on the bed,and draw from thebar or roller a' like portion over the bed, re-engaging the disengaged pawl and tightly winding up all slack iu the covering by turning either of the two bars or rollers.

To provide simple means for quickly adjusting` and securing the winding bars or rollers E E in the proper position for holding the intermediate tightly-drawn portion of the bed in proper contact with the bed when various different quantities of the end parts of the covering shall be wound upon said bars or roller, I commonly prefer to mount the bars or rollers in or on movable brackets H,or bars I, Figs. l, 2, 3, that are adjusted on the frame A to different heights in respect to the end parts of the bed B by means of slots k and headed screw-bolts Z in and on the frame, and bars or brackets, substantially as indicated in Figs. l, 2, and 3.

In Fig. l the ironing-roller is held in forced contact with the ironing-bed by reason of its pivoted frame being supported upon a weighted frame, Ai, in the lower part of the machine, while the same effect is produced by means of the handwheel and bolt I):Ik for pressure upon the bearings of the ironingroll, as is usual in machines of the class illustrated in Fig. 4.

In Figs. l and2 I have illustrated two rolls, and in Fig. 5 two clamping rolls or bars, one roll or bar at each end of the bed, to receive and retain the surplus length of the cover at each end, while in Fig. 4 I show a single roll arranged to receive and retain the surplus of the cover existing at both ends, so that I deem these several devices equivalents of each other, as they serve the desired function of maintaining desired portions of the cover in wearing position upon the bed; and I may substitute other well-known devices for those shown without departing from the gist of my invention, which is the provision of a cover longer than the bed, and movable independently thereon, and any suitable devices for retaining it in operative position, the object being to permit new surfaces or portions of the cover to be subjected to wear whenever other portions have become scorched or worn.

Having described my invention and its operation, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

l. A composite ironing-bed comprising a cushion, a cover longer than the bed and movable thereon, and mechanism, substantially as shown and described, for retaining desired portions of the ,cover upon the cushion, substantially as specified.

2. In combination with thc cushion of a composite ironing-bed, a covering longer than and movable upon the cushion, and mechanism, substantially as shown and described, arranged to take up the surplus length of the covering and to retain a portion thereof in contact with the cushion, substantially as specified.

3. In an ironing-machine, a composite bed comprising a movable covering longer than the bed, and adjustably-mounted rollers arranged at the ends of the bed for carrying the surplus of the covering, substantially as speci fied.

4. In a composite ironing-bed, the combination of a base, a cushion, as B, a covering, as

C, capable of movement upon the cushion,

and slotted rollers E, provided with ratchets b, and holding-pawls c c, substantially as specified.

5. 'The combination, with the frame A, of vthe adjustable brackets H, the rolls E, and the adjustable standards I, substantially as shown and described.

In testimony whereof Ihereunto set my hand, in the presence of two subscribing witnesses, this 3d day of July, i883.

CHARLES ANG-US.

"Witnesses:

H. S. WrLooX, AUSTIN F. PARK.

ICO

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